


from such great heights

by lizziemcguire



Category: SKAM (TV)
Genre: Alternate Meeting, Fluff, M/M, a ferris wheel is involved, absolutely no angst because i am Weak, don't worry they still fall in love, even is endeared, isak is scared
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-12-06
Updated: 2017-12-06
Packaged: 2019-02-11 04:21:27
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,130
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12927336
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/lizziemcguire/pseuds/lizziemcguire
Summary: Isak finds himself scared on a Ferris Wheel, and it's all Magnus' fault. Even is there to comfort him.Title from the song Such Great Heights by the Postal Service.If you're curious about the Christmas market mentioned in the fic, here's a website about it: http://www.julivinterland.no/hjem/I apologize if I got details wrong; I only know a tiny bit about Oslo from spending the past three days here!





	from such great heights

The small part of Isak that isn’t filled with terror right now is confused at his own reaction. 

He knows, objectively, that Ferris Wheels are safe. He’s been on them before and survived with no issues whatsoever, hadn’t even been scared. Although the last time he had been on a Ferris Wheel might have been when he was 10, and at 10 years old, he doesn’t remember being frightened of much except the dark. Now he’s learned much more about physics and his mind is helpfully applying the basics of kinematics to the trajectory his body would follow on its way down to the cold, hard earth. He’s going to blame Sana for making sure that unit was ingrained in his brain. 

So here he is, halfway to the top of the (relatively small) wheel at the Jul i Vinterland Christmas market, contemplating all the different ways he could fall to his death. 

As he attempts to control his breathing, he feels the cart he’s in start swaying back and forth. Tearing his eyes from the spot he had chosen on the metal floor, he looks up only to see Magnus doing a sitting-to-standing maneuver to _intentionally_ make the compartment swing. Staring at him in open-mouthed shock while tightening his grip on the metal bar to his right and considering grabbing Jonas’ hand on his left, Isak thinks that he might just murder Magnus today. He rejects the Jonas’ hand idea only because he doubts he’d ever live it down.

“I swear to God, Magnus. If you don’t stop, I am going to kill you,” Isak says. 

Magnus has the audacity to start laughing. “Oh Isak, are you scared?” he replies, speeding up his movements to make the compartment sway faster and more violently as they reach the top of the Wheel. Jonas and Mahdi are laughing, too, now, after looking at Isak’s pale face and glare he’s sending Magnus’ way.

Isak regrets saying anything. No, actually, he regrets ever agreeing to come to the Christmas market. He could be at the Kollektivet, watching Narcos and eating nachos in his sweats instead of slowly losing his mind on a dumb contraption invented by some dumb American for what Isak’s sure was a dumb reason, but no - Magnus wanted to come try to find some _foreign girls, Isak! The tourists love this shit_. And once Magnus gets an idea in his head, it’s very difficult to dissuade him of it. 

So here they are, thirty minutes into the endeavor, having talked to absolutely no “foreign girls” - or boys, for Isak - eventually giving up on that front to just do the tourist shit themselves, hence the Ferris Wheel.

Isak is beginning to seriously struggle when the Wheel stops moving a little bit after they begin their descent. He knows it’s probably just stopped to let more foolish people on, but he can’t help but think, what if it doesn’t start again? How do they get down? Can they get down? What if he’s stuck here forever? 

Jonas’ voice cuts through his thoughts, “Hey man, seriously, are you okay?”

“Uh, yeah, mostly. I’d just really like to get off,” says Isak, in what he hopes is a steady voice.

Based on the other three’s reactions, he guesses he missed the mark. 

“Wouldn’t we all,” Magnus crows, smirking and waggling his eyebrows at the innuendo.

“Oh fuck off, Mags,” Isak shoots back, sighing in relief as the Wheel begins to turn again. 

Tuning the other three out as they gossip about girls at the latest party they’d all been at, Isak stares at the approaching ground. He spots the attendant - the really attractive attendant, who he had noticed when they got on - and gets an idea. 

“Hey!” he calls out. The guy’s head turns towards him. 

“Can I get off early, please?” Isak yells down towards him, trying not to twist his body too much, lest he tempts fate and falls out of this fucking thing. 

The guy looks on with dawning understanding and nods, moving to slow down the wheel to let Isak off. 

“Hey, I’m not getting off early, man. You better not get us all kicked off because you’re scared,” Mahdi says. 

“Don’t worry, Mahdi. I’ll fix it.” Isak replies.

As the compartment finally reaches the ground, Isak almost jumps out, stumbling over his words to make sure that the boys can continue going around. 

“No worries, man, they can ride their whole turn. It’s chill,” the attendant - Even, Isak reads on his shirt - says. 

Isak sighs in relief, gives the boys a wave and sinks down on the ground, taking deep breaths until he feels less panicked. 

“Are you okay?” comes Even’s deep voice, and Isak’s eyes shoot open in the midst of breath number 12. Even’s standing over him, looking down with a soft smile and - is that concern in his - very blue - eyes? 

“Uh, yeah, yeah, definitely. Just, um, breathing,” Isak responds. Breathing? What is he saying?

Even chuckles, “Are you afraid of heights?” 

“Me, afraid of heights? No way, not at all. I’m, like, the master of heights!” Isak retorts. 

“Ah, so you wanted to get off early just because you were having such a good time?” 

And, well, Even’s got him there. “Okay, I might be a little afraid of heights. But shouldn’t you be looking after the Wheel? Maybe I had good reason to be worried, if you’re not even paying attention.”

“I just got off my shift actually, just making sure you weren’t about to throw up so close to the ride. Can’t have you scaring off possible future riders,” Even sort of winks at Isak as he helps him off the ground. 

Isak sputters, “Throw up? I’m not going to throw up! I’m fine. No need to worry about me at all.”

Even grins and his whole face is involved in the expression, with his eyes crinkling and cheeks slightly red from the cold air. Isak feels warm inside.

“Perfect, then. Come with me.” Even turns on his heel and walks away from the wheel and towards the rest of the market.

Isak gawks after Even’s retreating body, but sees no other option than to follow him. 

“Where are we going?” he asks, once he’s caught up with Even and his long legs. He shoots a quick message to the boys to let them know not to look for him. 

“To get some hot chocolate. I read somewhere that chocolate always makes people feel better after they’ve been scared.” 

“I wasn’t _that_ scared,” Isak argues, feeling himself blush. 

“Fine, then it’s in celebration of you being back on your own two feet on the ground,” Even says, and he’s still smiling that huge smile at Isak, and what is Isak to do but smile back? 

They make their way through the stalls and the groups of people trying to barter their way down to a lower price until they reach the stall selling mulled wine, hot chocolate, and candy apples. 

Even sidles up to the window, orders two hot chocolates for them and hands one to Isak, gesturing for them to continue their walk around the market until they find an empty park bench. 

“I’m Isak, by the way,” Isak says to Even as they settle down on the bench. 

“Even,” Even replies and they share a quick smile before Isak starts talking again. “So tell me the truth, has anyone been hurt on that death machine?” 

Even looks confused for a second. “Oh - you mean the Ferris Wheel. Well actually, a couple years ago the Wheel came off the base and rolled down Rosencrantz gate. One person died and a few people were injured, but nothing like that since!”

Isak looks at Even for a moment, feeling slightly victorious in his intuition until, “No, you’re shitting me, aren’t you?”

Even burst out laughing. “I can’t believe you believed that! You think if that happened we’d still be allowed to have a Ferris Wheel here?”

Isak’s blushing, again, “You can’t joke about stuff like that, Even.” But he’s laughing a little bit, too, now. 

He and Even talk until their hot chocolate becomes more like lukewarm chocolate, exchanging music tastes - both like NWA, Even has a weird soft spot for pop music that Isak doesn’t understand but will let pass, because he’s _hot_ \- and future plans - Isak is thinking something in science research while Even has huge plans of directing his own movies someday - and Isak feels himself becoming hopelessly endeared with this kind, amazing boy next to him. Throughout the conversation they gravitate towards each other until their thighs are mostly touching and Isak has never quite felt this way before. 

He’s been out for a while, hooks up every once in a while when he feels like it, but he’s never had a real crush on a boy since Jonas, and he doesn’t really count, anyway. Now, he catches himself thinking that he never wants to stop talking to Even, and he shakes his head, trying to figure out where that thought came from and what exactly to do with it? Even could be straight, after all. Probably is, if Isak’s luck is anything to go by. 

At that moment Isak’s phone goes off multiple times. He sighs and opens it up, only to find the boys complaining about not being able to find him since they want to leave and go pregame somewhere, done with their tourist girl debacle. He checks the time, surprised that an entire hour has passed. 

Even’s watching him, and Isak is disappointed about having to leave, but thinks he should probably find the boys and join them, since he’s been ditching them a lot lately. He shoots a quick smile at Even. “I’ve got to catch my friends before they leave me here. Thank you for the hot chocolate, it did make me feel better,” Isak admits. 

“Wait, before you leave, can I get your number?” Even asks, and is he blushing a little bit? Isak may have to revise that “probably straight” thought. Isak nods, maybe a bit too enthusiastically, and they trade phones. When Even hands his phone back, Isak sees that he’s put himself in Isak’s phone as “Even the Ferris Wheel savior.” 

“Who do you think you are, Even? My knight in shining armor?” Isak says drily, laughing a bit.

"Well, you did need a bit of saving, Isak. What would you have done if I hadn't let you off the ride?" 

Isak rolls his eyes and glances back at Even, who is smiling that huge grin and Isak feels entranced. Even moves closer, and places his hand on Isak’s face. 

Isak stops breathing for a second. Okay, maybe definitely not straight? 

As Even leans in, he asks, “I’m not - this is okay, right?”

In response, Isak just moves to slide their lips together. 

He ends up ditching the boys after all.

* * *

_One year later_

“Even, there’s no fucking way I am getting on this thing with you, just because you think it would be symbolic,” Isak says, gazing up at the Ferris Wheel, exasperated with his boyfriend.

Even pouts. “But Isak, I would be there with you. I’d make sure that nothing would happen.”

“How would you do that from being on the thing? Mind control the machine so it doesn’t fall apart while we’re on it?”

“You found me out, I do have magic powers. I’ve been meaning to tell you.”

“Shut up, Even.” Isak finds himself rolling his eyes but feeling so fond of this boy. “Fine, but if I get too freaked out, we’re getting off and you will say nothing,” Isak acquiesces, grumbling. 

“Deal!” 

And they get in line, Even practically bouncing and Isak trying to control his nerves. Soon enough they’re at the front of the line and then clambering into their car. Isak sits on the metal bench and leans into Even next to him. 

Once it starts moving, he feels the telltale signs of fear, pulse speeding up and breath coming quicker. Even grabs his hand and Isak is reassured by the touch. As he focuses on Even, he stops thinking about the possibility of falling to his death. Even turns to him, and as if reading his mind, moves to give Isak a quick kiss. “You feeling okay?”

“You make me feel less scared,” Isak admits. At this, Even breaks out his signature grin and kisses him again, although this time more deeply. 

“Isak, you make me feel like I can be anything. I love you.” Isak is so, so happy even at the top of this Ferris Wheel, no longer scared at all as he looks out over the city with his boyfriend at his side.

“I love you, too, Even.”

**Author's Note:**

> hey. this is my very first fic, so, let me know what you think? comments and kudos are cool :) hope you enjoy it.
> 
> feel free to hmu on [tumblr](http://toemilyandbeyond.tumblr.com/) :)


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